AN ACT to amend and reenact section 1-03-13 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to changing the name of First Nations Day to Indigenous Peoples Day.
House Bill 1545 amends North Dakota Century Code section 1-03-13 to rename the state-recognized observance currently called First Nations Day as Indigenous Peoples Day. The bill keeps the same annual observance date: the Friday before the second Monday in October. It also retains the purpose of the day, which is to recognize the Indigenous peoples of North Dakota and their contributions to the state and the United States.
Substantively, the measure is a naming change rather than a change in the holiday’s timing or legal effect. It updates the statutory language used in the official proclamation requirement for the governor, so state law would refer to the observance as Indigenous Peoples Day instead of First Nations Day. The bill passed both chambers overwhelmingly and was filed with the Secretary of State, indicating enactment and completion of the legislative process.
HB1545 changes one section of the North Dakota Century Code governing a state observance by replacing the name First Nations Day with Indigenous Peoples Day. The bill does not alter the date of the observance, the governor’s duty to issue an annual proclamation, or the underlying purpose of recognizing Indigenous peoples and their contributions. Its legal impact is limited to updating statutory terminology and the official name used in state law and state proclamations.
The bill appears to have been broadly supported and noncontroversial in the legislature. The recorded votes were overwhelmingly favorable in both chambers, with 88 yeas and 1 nay in the House and 46 yeas and 0 nays in the Senate. The absence of committee transcripts or recorded debate suggests there was little visible opposition or extended discussion in the available materials.
No major points of contention are evident in the available record. The only likely area of disagreement is the choice of terminology—whether the observance should be called First Nations Day or Indigenous Peoples Day—but the vote totals indicate that any objection was isolated and did not attract significant legislative support. Because there are no committee transcripts, the specific rationale for the lone House dissent is not available.